Is Lionel Messi the supreme sovereign of football?

Is Lionel Messi the greatest player ever in world football, the most popular game on the planet? This is possibly the most debated topic in global circles today, and there are only two major contenders for this crown.

One is fellow-Argentine and wayward genius, Diego Maradona, who led his Italian club Napoli from relegation to top of the league, and then proceeded to win the 1986 World Cup single-handedly (no pun intended).

The other is Pele, supported by a star cast of Brazilian players, who won three World Cups. Purists might point to Dutchman Johan Cruyff, or from an earlier era, Alfredo di Stefano, who played for three national sides, or the brilliant but flawed Garrincha. And remember, Messi is yet to win a World Cup.

But he is undoubtedly the king of football in Europe, the toughest pitch on the planet, playing against sides that are more sophisticated than ever. After an indifferent last season, he has broken every single historical record.

Among them, highest scorer in the Champions League ever, highest for his league, his team Barcelona, most in a single season – and most against arch rivals Real Madrid. He is also the only player – with four titles – to have won the best European player award consecutively. The only thing Lionel Messi misses: the World Cup.